Question

There are a handful of subdivisions of the Anthropoid clade that we will work through. The most broad division of this primate group identifies Platyrrhines and Catarrhines.

• What are the differences in geography and morphology between the Platyrrhines and Catarrhines?

Answer 1

PLATYRRHINES AND CATARRHINES ARE TWO INFRAORDERS OF ANTHROPID. PLATYRRHINES ARE NEW WORLD MONKEYS WHICH INCLUDE SPIDER MONKEYS , SQUIRREL MONKEYS AND WOOLLY MOKEYS WHERE AS CATARRHINES ARE OLD   WORLD MONKEYS WHICH INCLUDE APES AND HUMANS.  

GEOGRAPHICAL DIFFERNECE BETWEEN CATARRHINES AND PLATYRRHINES:

FOSSILS OF PLATYRRHINES ARE ONLE SEEN ONLY IN SOUTH AMERICA WHERE AS FOSSILS OF CATRRHINES ARE FOUND THROUGHOUT TROPICAL ASIA AND AFRICA.

MORPHOLOGICAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PLATYRRHINES AND CATARRHINES:

NOSE : PLATYRRHINES HAVE MORE FLATTER NOSE WITH NOSTRILS FACING SIDE WAYS . CATARRHINES HAVE HOOKED NOSE WITH NOSTRILS FACING DOWNWARDS.

BODY SIZE: PLATYRRHINES AHVE SMALLER BODY SIZE COMPARED TO CATARRHINES.

ECTOTYMPANIC BONE:PLATYRRHINES LACK ECTOTYMPANIC BONE WHERE AS CATARRHINES HAVE ECTOTYMPANIC BONE.

SEPTUM IN THE NOSE: PLATYRRHINES HAVE A WIDE SEPTUM IN THE NOSE SEPERATING THE NOSTRILS WHERE AS CATARRHINES HAVE SMALL SEPTUM.

DENTAL FORMULA: PLATYRRHINES- 2 INCISORS , 1 CANINE , 3 PREMOLARS AND 2 OR 3 MOLARS

CATARRHINES-2 INCISORS , 1 CANINE ,2 PREMOLARS AND 3 MOLARS.

OPPOSABLE THUMB: PLATYRRHINES LACK OPPSABLE THUMB WHERE AS OPPOSABLE THUMB IS PRESENT IN CATARRHINES.

TRICHROMATIC VISION : PLATYRRHINES LACK TRICHROMATIC VISION WHREAS IT IS PRESENT IN CATARRHINES

TAIL: PLATYRRHINES HAVE LONG AND FLEXIBLE PREHENSILE TAIL. WHEREAS CATARRHINES HAVE SHORTER NON GRASPING TAILS AND APES LACK TAIL.

HABITAT: PLATYRRHINES ARE MORE ARBOREAL WHEREAS CATARRHINES ARE MORE TERRESTRIAL.